Display apparatus



2 Sheets-Sheetl 1 W. CITRON DISPLAY APPARATUS Filed Feb. y19, 1938 IN 5431.1 0 rzwzswlummzaz @RIC Sept. 26, 1939.

Sept. 26, 1939. w, ClTRON 2,174,068

DISPLAY APPARATUS Filed Feb. 19, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Y 5.9 'a2 3, (I: Il b/x/ l 46 /52 Z7 l ,22 4/ d @i M A J lf-L m ,5 37 I l 3517 .4. -4 j ,jy

'l IIH 7a YELLOW PINK Ross PINK K GREEN JADE GREEN LIGHT @Rem Patented Sept. 26, 1939 jj y 2,174,068

PATENT OFFICE 2,174,068 DISPLAY APPARATUS William Citron, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Rit Products Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corpora.-

tion of Delaware Application February 19, 1938, Serial No. 191,371

l-Claim. (Cl. 312.-157) My invention relates to display cabinets for relatively small packages of dyes and similar articles.

The production and sale of packaged dyes for household use is a relatively important industry, and, like many industries, particularly those Where sale to the general public is involved, it has problems of its own, not usually found in related industries. In themarketing of household dyes, continuous development is required to keep abreast of related developments, such as, for example, styles, color trends, materials employed, and the like. It is well known that a dye which will give good results on one type of fabric veryoften is practically ineffective on another type of fabric. The leading household dye manufacturers, however, have developed dyes and combinations of dyes which are effectively usable on most of the usual fabrics employed in womens clothes and the like. These dye packages represent more or less standard products having a more or less uniform sale over a substantial period of time. With the introduction of new materials, however, and the introduction of new shades, certain colors may sell much more rapidly than others, or it may be necessary to introduce new colors into a `line which will either be current or temporary in their sales or which are particularly suitable for the dyeing of certain types of fabrics. For these and other reasons, there may be considerable variations in the demandfor particular colors. For the same or other reasons, it is important for a household dye manufacturer to get before the public all new shades and new products. Otherwise, the purchasing public may not be aware that a shade which is currently vogue in the new style trend can be purchased in the household dye package.

'I'he retailer normally is not so concerned with maintaining and displaying his stocksas is the manufacturer of the product.. There is always considerable difficulty in urging the retailer to maintain adequate display space and to keep his stocks, particularly the rapid-selling packages, in vsuch a condition that he is able to supply the demand made during the entire period that the demand may exist. The demand for package dyes was created primarily byA style conditions and the advertising of the dye manufacturer. Accordingly, the manufacturer is continually on the lookout for means and methods for securing adequate display, for assuring the maintenance of -stocks, and for promotingsales, and my invention relates to novelmeans by which these objects may be effectively accomplished.

In general, I accomplish the objects of my invention by the provision of a display cabinet which, while mounted on the counter of the retailer, takes substantially no room and does not interfere with the proper display of other mer- 5 chandise which, at the time, the retailer may .be more interested in pushing. 'I'his will prevent the retailer from moving the cabinet tomake space when he thinks additional space is necessary.` The display cabinet also serves the ad- 10 vantage of very effectively advertising the stock of household dyes, acquainting the purchasing public with new shades and featuring shades that are vogue at the particular time. Furthermore, the arrangement is such that the retailer is sub- 15 stantially compelled to maintain his stocks of dyes, otherwise he will be unable to fill a demand which the display cabinet itself and its appertenances will influence.

The detailed objects and features of my in- 20 vention will be apparent from the following de tailed description taken with the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the display cabinet of my invention mounted on a counter; 25

Fig. 2 is a vertical, transverse sectional View taken along the centerline of the cabinet shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3.is a transverse sectional the line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view showing the arrangement of the packages in the compartments of the cabinet provided therefor;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, partly in elevation, taken on the line 5-5 35 of Fig. .3, showing a mounting feature;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view somewhat enlarged taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. l;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged elevational view, partly in section, looking along the line 'l-l of Fig. 40 6; andv Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view showing a modiflcation of the means for mounting the display cabinet on the counter.

Referring now to the drawings, the Vcabinet 45 proper, generally indicated by the reference character Ill, is swivelly supported on an upright Il integral with an angulated base I2, this base having a lower portion secured to a counter I3 by screws or other suitable fastening means. 50

'Ihe frame work of the display cabinet proper comprises a pair of side members I4 and I6, a pair of spacedcenter-members Il and I8, a bottom member I9, and top members 2| and 22. Spaced shelf members 23 are secured in position 55 View taken on by suitable means, which will be described, and by their bracing action in effect comprise a part of the frame structure. 'Ihe bottom member I9 is specially formed to produce two shelf. members functioning substantially as the shelf members 23 function. However, it is provided also with an aperture through which the upright II extends, a washer 24, held in place by a cotter pin or other suitable fastener 26, causing the cabinet to be supported in a manner to permit swiveling thereof about the upright Il. The

cabinet is also supported at its top, however, the.

upright being provided with a narrow portion 21 at its top which extends through an aperture in the top member 22. This results in the provision of a shoulder at the top of the upright on which the cabinet through the top member 22 rides. A washer 28 encircles the narrow portion 21, which is then riveted over, as illustrated in Fig. 2. to complete the assembly. In this way, the cabinet is supported at two points and by virtue of the construction employed, it is impossible to remove the cabinet from the upright, without entirely dismantling it. The members comprising the cabinet frame are made in such a manner as to overlap at the place where they join and the overlapped portions secured together by suitable means such as rivets, illustrated in the drawings where the views are taken at such a point as to cause the rivet to show. The top members where they engage the side members are provided with right angular extensions which engage on opposite sides of the side members, thereby effectively securing them to the side members and maintaining the spacing between the two top members. The numeral 29 identifies the right angular extension of the top member 2I and the numeral 3l identifies the similar member on the top member 22 (see Fig. l).

The center members I1 and I8 are secured in place by a generally similar construction. They have right angular portions 32 at their upper ends secured to the top member 22, side extensions 33 secured to the side members I4 and I6, and bent over extensions 34 at their bottoms secured to the bottom members I9.

The shelf members 23 are provided with angular side extensions 36 riveted or otherwise secured to the side members I4 and I5. l In addition, they have inner apron-like extensions31 which engage behind the tabs 38 struck up fromthe spaced center members I1 and I8. Thus, from relatively thin, sheet metal stock, a light, but very strong, cabinet frame is provided, the shelf members 23 providing shelf space on which packages 39 are adapted tc be placed.

The shelf members 23 extend a considerable distance laterally, that is, the direction running from one side member to the other. This affords space for a plurality of packages, and I accordingly provide means, in the form of rods 4I, for breaking the space up between the side members I4 and I6 into sections just wide enough to accommodate the package intended to be housed therein. For securing therods 4I in position, I provide a very simple construction. The rods are extended through holes in the top member 22 just slightly greater in diameter than the diameter of the rods. A top portion 42 of the rods is bent over to hold the rod in place. Thus, the rod is prevented from being moved downwardly by engaging the top of the member 22 and is prevented from being removed in an upward direction because to move it in this direction will cause it to engage thebottom surface of. the member 2I. In the completed construction, the space between these two members is closed by virtue of the fact that a portion 43 of the top member 2I is formed around the edge of the member 22 at two sides thereof, that is, the open sides above the shelf space between the side members I4 and I6.

The shelf members are placed at an angle sloping downwardly toward the center so that, even though the cabinet be rotated relatively rapidly about the upright Il, there will be little or no tendency for the packages being displaced because of turning or jarring the cabinet. Moreover, this construction produces a somewhat staggered effect at the ends of the packages, as illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. This makes a better display as it shows up the individual packages and makes it somewhat more convenient to remove a single package at a time.

A feature of selling household dyes, as explained hereinabove, is to prominently display shades available, to use means to make the retailer keep his stocks of various shades up, and to feature to the purchasing public current shades having popularity at a particular time. I therefore provide means for carrying a color chart 46 at each side of the cabinet, members 41 secured to the side members I4 and I6 in such a way as toleave a channel-like opening forming a pocket for retaining the color chart. This color chart features colors by name and/or number, corresponding colors being indicated below the stocks thereof appearing in the spaces on the shelf members 23. This color chart may also contain advertising matter or pictures calculated to attract attention and promote sales.

I also provide special display means at the top of the cabinet including means for supporting several packages of dye, if desired, and also means for supporting advertising copy, color charts, notices of special sales, or any similar matter which it may seem advisable to feature. A three-sided member 48 has its longer side secured to the top member 2 I, leaving two upstanding sides 49 and 4I. Flanges 52 are provided around all three portions of the member 48 on both sides thereof, thus resulting in the provision of a recess in which dye packages may be placed. A pair of angular members 53 and 54 is secured to the inside surfaces of. the members 49 and 5I at the top thereof, and between these two members is secured a separator member 56 dividing the space between the flanges 52 into two parts. Channel-like members 51 and 58 are provided with feet at their bottoms, as shown in Fig. 6, and these feet are riveted to the angular members 53 and 54, respectively, whereby to hold the channel-like members 51 and 58 upright. Since the two channels in the members 51 and 58 face each other, a pocket-like recess is formed for receiving a card or chart 59.

. The display cabinet, as heretofore noted, is intended to stand on a counter. Counters are at times provided with a slanting top and at other times with a substantially horizontal top. In the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the counter is obviously of the slanting type. In Fig. 8, I show a counter 6I having a flat top and the base I2 is provided with a right angular foot portion so that the cabinet will be made to stand perfectly upright. 'Ihis merely illustrates the ability to mount the display cabinet in asuitable position on any ordinary counter. It is evident, of course, that the cabinet may also be mounted ona vertical face'of a counter for convenience by merely making the base I2 flat instead of turning over the foot portion, that is the portion carrying the screw holes.

In addition to the advantages pointed out hereinabove, the display cabinet of my invention has other features making it particularly useful for the intended purpose. I have already touched on its lightness, inexpensiveness, compactness, displayability, etc. I have pointed out as Well that it is freely pivotable on the upright Il, and, because of the construction employed, must be retained on the upright, that is to say, the upright is not removable so that the retailer will be in no position to set the cabinet flat on its base, in which case he would be able to set it around to suit his convenience, possibly on a shelf behind a counter.

The cabinet is preferably made of light metal having a high nish such as provided by chromium plating or the like. The color indices of the dyes are easily applied by the use of transfers or other means known in the art, and, although they are not readily removable, because of ordinary handling they may still be readily removed if it should be desired to make changes. The cards l and 59 are, of course, readily removable, it being the purpose to change them from time to time as the need arises.

The cabinet, arranged and designed in the manner shown, obviously is intended to accommodate a product of a single manufacturer. Since the packages are vended from the cabinet, it is dicult for the retailer to supply a package of another manufacturer if he should be out of the particular color` intended to be carried in the cabinet. The rods 4l are so spaced as to make it possible to introduce easily the package intended to be carried in the cabinet. Because of the arrangement, the customer can tell at a glance whether or not the retailer is keeping up his stock and also whether or not there is a stock on hand of the particular color desired.

Still another advantage is the ability of the dye manufacturer to obtain display space in the retail stores. It is well known that, particularly in large cities Where relatively complete stocks are carried in retail establishments, there is a dearth of adequate display space, and manufacturers are constantly on the lookout to secure the necessary space for their products. My invention, therefore, provides for adequate space in such a way that competition for space is avoided with another manufacturer Whose goods are of such a character that actual counter space must be utilized.

There are advantages to the retailer in that he may display the packages of dye or the like in a prominent position to promote sales thereof without taking up space such as could, from his standpoint, be advantageously given over to other merchandise. Moreover, the customer sees the package and selects the color at the cabinet, and the clerk standing before the customer does not have to leave his position at all but the package the customer Wants is available immediately in front of him, and a sale can be completed in a fraction of the time usually required when prior practices are followed.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

A display cabinet for packages of dyes and the like, comprising an upright adapted to be supported on a counter so as to occupy substantially little counter space, and a cabinet swivelly carried by the upright, said cabinet having a frame with spaced center members, side members abutting side edges of the center members, a pair of spaced top members secured together at their outer edges and abutting the ends of the spaced center members and side members, and bottom members abutting the ends of the spaced center members and side members, all of said members secured together at their points of contact, Vertically spaced tabs struck out from said center members, shelf members secured between the side members and having angular rear portions engaging the spaced tabs on said center members, said shelf members extending outwardly and upwardly from said center members, and rods extending through said shelf members and dividing the latter into sections for supporting stacks of individual packages, said rods and upright projecting through the lowermost of said top members and having fastening means at their upper ends disposed between said two top members. 

